New bill lets trucks go faster, backs rail

Truckers can drive faster on Ohio interstates, but no driver has to worry about getting busted for speeding by a camera or getting pulled over just for not wearing a seat belt.

And for those who don't want to take long drives, a passenger-rail system linking Ohio's largest cities is taking another step toward reality.

Truckers can drive faster on Ohio interstates, but no driver has to worry about getting busted for speeding by a camera or getting pulled over just for not wearing a seat belt.

And for those who don't want to take long drives, a passenger-rail system linking Ohio's largest cities is taking another step toward reality.

After days of intense, private negotiations among Senate Republicans, House Democrats and Gov. Ted Strickland, a joint conference committee tonight worked out a $9.6 billion state transportation budget, including $1.9 billion in federal stimulus money. It is expected to pass the House and Senate on Tuesday and must be signed into law by midnight.

In what could be a warm-up for the state operating budget in June, the first bipartisan conference committee in 14 years was privately tough but publicly civil.

"They say legislation is like making sausage. I've made sausage. This is worse. It's like making haggis," said Rep. Peter Ujvagi, D-Toledo, who sponsored the bill.

Republicans blocked a number of Strickland's initiatives. But they did agree to allow the state Controlling Board, a seven-member legislative spending oversight panel, to get final say over whether to start building a $250 million passenger-rail project.

Republicans wanted the full legislature to make that decision. They still ensured themselves a voice in the process by requiring that infrastructure funding for the proposed rail system connecting Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland get a 5-2 vote to pass, with at least two members from each chamber voting for it.

"We're very excited about the possibilities of rail," said Sen. Thomas F. Patton, R-Strongsville, noting concerns about unanswered questions over the need for ongoing subsidies. "We just want the ability to have a say in whether we move forward."

Strickland has strongly supported the passenger-rail plan, arguing that getting it caught up in the legislature could jeopardize Ohio's chances to compete for the federal money to build it.

"We were very concerned about the opportunity for us to effectively compete in Washington," Ujvagi said. "I think this is an appropriate balance to move expeditiously and at the same time have oversight that's necessary to bring rail back to Ohio."

A number of major agreements and compromises were reached today:

The committee stripped out proposals by Strickland to allow for speed cameras in construction zones and to allow law enforcement to pull over unbuckled drivers even if they committed no other violations. The seat-belt change would have earned Ohio $26.7 million in federal money.

"If it was a good idea, we would have done it years ago without (federal incentives)," Patton said of seat belts.

Republicans pushed to eliminate Strickland's proposed $5.75 increase for vehicle registrations. Other fees, such as those for vanity plates and penalties for late registrations, will go up to provide funding for the State Highway Patrol.

Truckers will win a long-fought battle to increase their speed limit on interstate highways to 65 mph, the same as for cars - unless Strickland vetoes it.

The Highway Patrol has long opposed this effort, arguing that faster-moving semis are more dangerous. Supporters argue that a uniform speed limit is safer, and Ohio is one of only a handful of states with different limits.

The bill will allow some workers to get an extra 20 weeks of 100 percent federally funded unemployment benefits and give unemployed small-business employees three additional months of subsidized health insurance.

But with a potential lack of support from House Republicans to pass the measure as an emergency, the insurance benefits will not be available immediately.

"For the life of me I can't understand why we can't get 13 Republicans to pass something this important to real people and real families," said Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland. "It is absolutely shameful."

jsiegel@dispatch.com

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